Method and system associated with a sensing roll including pluralities of sensors and a mating roll for collecting roll data

ABSTRACT

Collecting roll data associated with a sensing and mating rolls that form a nip uses first and second pluralities of sensors. Each sensor of the first plurality has a corresponding sensor in the second plurality which is associated with a same respective axial location on the sensing roll but is spaced-apart circumferentially. The sensors are located at axially spaced-apart locations of the sensing roll and generate either a first or second respective signal when entering the nip. Upon receiving a generated signal, a determination is made about which sensor generated the received signal and the membership of that sensor in one of the pluralities. Based upon a rotational position of the mating roll, a determination is made of which tracking segment associated with the mating roll enters the region of the nip concurrently with the signal to store the signal using the determined one tracking segment and the determined membership.

FIELD

The present invention relates generally to nip presses used to exertpressing forces on moving webs for the formation of, for example, paper,textile material, plastic foil and other related materials. Inparticular, the present invention is directed to methods and apparatusfor measuring and removing the effects of rotational variability of amating roll from the nip pressure profile, and constructing asynchronized map of the rotational variability of the mating roll to beused for diagnostic purposes such as detecting roll or bearing changes.

BACKGROUND

Nipped rolls are used in a vast number of continuous process industriesincluding, for example, papermaking, steel making, plastics calendaringand printing. In the process of papermaking, many stages are required totransform headbox stock into paper. The initial stage is the depositionof the headbox stock, commonly referred to as “white water,” onto apaper machine forming fabric, commonly referred to as a “wire.” Upondeposition, a portion of the white water flows through the intersticesof the forming fabric wire leaving a mixture of liquid and fiberthereon. This mixture, referred to in the industry as a “web,” can betreated by equipment which further reduce the amount of moisture contentof the finished product. The fabric wire continuously supports thefibrous web and transfers it to another fabric called a felt whichadvances it through the various dewatering equipment that effectivelyremoves the desired amount of liquid from the web. Water from the web ispressed into the wet felt and then can be removed as the wet felt passesa suction box. Dry felts can also be used to support the fibrous webthrough steam dryers.

One of the stages of dewatering is effected by passing the web through apair or more of rotating rolls which form a nip press or series thereof,during which liquid is expelled from the web via the pressure beingapplied by the rotating rolls. The rolls, in exerting force on the weband felt, will cause some liquid to be pressed from the fibrous web intothe felt. The web can then be advanced to other presses or dry equipmentwhich further reduce the amount of moisture in the web. The “nip region”is the contact region between two adjacent rolls through which the paperweb passes. One roll of the nip press is typically a hard steel rollwhile the other is constructed from a metallic shell covered by apolymeric cover. However, in some applications both rolls may be coveredor both may be hard steel. The amount of liquid to be pressed out of theweb is dependent on the amount of pressure being placed on the web as itpasses through the nip region. Later rolls in the process and nips atthe machine calendar are used to control the caliper and othercharacteristics of the sheet. The characteristics of the rolls maydefine the amount of pressure applied to the web during the nip pressstage.

One common problem associated with such rolls can be the lack ofuniformity in the pressure being distributed along the working length ofthe roll. The pressure that is exerted by the rolls of the nip press isoften referred to as the “nip pressure.” The amount of nip pressureapplied to the web and the size of the nip may determine whether uniformsheet characteristics are achieved. Even nip pressure along the roll isimportant in papermaking and contributes to moisture content, caliper,sheet strength and surface appearance. For example, a lack of uniformityin the nip pressure can often result in paper of poor quality. Excessivenip pressure can cause crushing or displacement of fibers as well asholes in the resulting paper product. Improvements to nip loading canlead to higher productivity through higher machine speeds and lowerbreakdowns (unplanned downtime).

Conventional rolls for use in a press section may be formed of one ormore layers of material. Roll deflection, commonly due to sag or niploading, can be a source of uneven pressure and/or nip widthdistribution. Worn roll covers may also introduce pressure variations.These rolls generally have a floating shell which surrounds a stationarycore. Underneath the floating shell are movable surfaces which can beactuated to compensate for uneven nip pressure distribution.

Previously known techniques for determining the presence of suchdiscrepancies in the nip pressure required the operator to stop the rolland place a long piece of carbon paper or pressure sensitive film in thenip. This procedure is known as taking a “nip impression.” Latertechniques for nip impressions involve using mylar with sensing elementsto electronically record the pressures across the nip. These procedures,although useful, cannot be used while the nip press is in operation.Moreover, temperature, roll speed and other related changes which wouldaffect the uniformity of nip pressure cannot be taken into account.

Control instrumentation associated with a sensing nip press can providea good representation of the cross-directional nip pressure (commonlyreferred to as the “nip pressure profile” or just “nip profile”) andwill allow the operator to correct the nip pressure distribution shouldit arise. The control instruments usually provide a real time graphicaldisplay of the nip pressure profile on a computer screen or monitor. Thenip profile is a compilation of pressure data that is being receivedfrom the sensors located on the sensing roll. It usually graphicallyshows the pressure signal in terms of the cross-directional position onthe sensing roll. The y-axis usually designates pressure in pounds perlinear inch while the x-axis designates the cross directional positionon the roll.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the present invention relates to a system associated witha sensing roll and a mating roll for collecting roll data that includesfirst and second pluralities (or even 3 or more pluralities) of sensors.The first plurality of sensors are located at axially spaced-apartlocations of the sensing roll, wherein each sensor of the firstplurality enters a region of a nip between the sensing roll and themating roll during each rotation of the sensing roll to generate a firstrespective sensor signal The second plurality of sensors are located ataxially spaced-apart locations of the sensing roll, wherein each sensorof the second plurality enters the region of the nip during eachrotation of the sensing roll to generate a second respective sensorsignal. Each sensor of the first plurality has a corresponding sensor inthe second plurality which is associated with a same respective axiallocation on the sensing roll but is spaced-apart circumferentially. Thesystem also includes a processor to receive a received sensor signal,wherein the received sensor signal is one of the first respective sensorsignal or the second respective sensor signal. Upon receiving thereceived sensor signal, the processor performs a number of operations.In particular, the processor can a) determine a particular one of thesensors of the first plurality or second plurality which generated thereceived sensor signal, b) determine membership of the particular onesensor based on which plurality of sensors the particular one sensor isa member, and c) based upon a rotational position of the mating rollrelative to a reference position, determine which one of a plurality oftracking segments associated with the mating roll enters the region ofthe nip substantially concurrently with the particular one sensorentering the region of the nip. The processor can also store thereceived sensor signal using the determined one tracking segment and thedetermined membership.

In respective, related aspects of the invention each of the plurality oftracking segments are of substantially equal size or of different sizes,the received sensor signal comprises a pressure value, and the pluralityof tracking segments associated with the mating roll are either aplurality of circumferential segments on the mating roll, or a pluralityof time segments of a period of the mating roll.

In a related aspect of the invention, the processor receives the firstrespective sensor signal for each of the sensors of the first pluralityduring each rotation of the sensing roll, and the second respectivesensor signal for each of the sensors of the second plurality duringeach rotation of the sensing roll. The processor also receives aplurality of sensor signals that include a plurality of the firstrespective sensor signals and a plurality of second respective sensorsignals occurring during a plurality of rotations of the sensing roll.For each one of the plurality of sensor signals, the processoridentifies: a) its determined one tracking segment, b) an associatedmating roll axial segment, and c) a specific sensor of the first orsecond pluralities of sensors which generated this particular one of theplurality of sensor signals, wherein the processor further determinesmembership of the specific sensor based on which of the plurality ofsensors the specific sensor is a member.

In yet another related aspect the mating roll comprises n axialsegments, having respective index values: 1, 2, . . . , n; the matingroll has associated therewith m tracking segments, having respectiveindex values: 1, 2, . . . , m, and wherein, for each of the firstplurality of sensors and the second plurality of sensors, there are (ntimes m) unique permutations that are identifiable by a two-element setcomprising a respective axial segment index value and a respectivetracking segment index value.

In one related aspect of the invention, for the plurality of firstrespective sensor signals and for each of a first plurality of thepossible (n times m) permutations, the processor determines an averageof all the plurality of first respective sensor signals associated withan axial segment and tracking segment matching each of the firstplurality of permutations. Also, for the plurality of second respectivesensor signals and for each of a second plurality of the possible (ntimes m) permutations, the processor determines an average of all theplurality of second respective sensor signals associated with an axialsegment and tracking segment matching each of the second plurality ofpermutations.

In another related aspect of the invention, for the plurality of firstrespective sensor signals and each of a first plurality of the possible(n times m) permutations, the processor determines: a) a number of timesone or more of the plurality of first respective sensor signals isassociated with an axial segment and tracking segment matching thatpermutation; and b) a summation of all of the plurality of firstrespective sensor signals associated with the axial segment and trackingsegment matching that permutation. For the plurality of secondrespective sensor signals and each of a second plurality of the possible(n times m) permutations, the processor determines: a) a number of timesone or more of the plurality of second respective sensor signals isassociated with an axial segment and tracking segment matching thatpermutation; and b) a summation of all of the plurality of secondrespective sensor signals associated with the axial segment and trackingsegment matching that permutation.

In a related aspect of the invention the mating roll comprises n axialsegments, having respective index values: 1, 2, . . . , n; the matingroll period comprises m tracking segments, having respective indexvalues: 1, 2, . . . , m, wherein, for each of the first plurality ofsensors, there are (n times m) unique permutations, respectively, thatare identifiable by a first two-element set comprising a respectiveaxial segment index value and a respective tracking segment index valueand, for each of the second plurality of sensors, there are (n times m)unique permutations, respectively, that are identifiable by a secondtwo-element set comprising a respective axial segment index value and arespective tracking segment index value. A respective average pressurevalue is associated with each of the (n times m) unique permutations ofeach of the first and second sets, wherein each of the respectiveaverage pressure values is based on previously collected pressurereadings related to the nip.

In yet another related aspect a first respective column average value isassociated with each first set axial segment index value, each firstrespective column average value comprising an average of the mrespective average pressure values, from the first set, associated withthat first set axial segment index value; and a second respective columnaverage value is associated each second set axial segment index value,each second respective column average value comprising an average of them respective average pressure values, from the second set, associatedwith that second set axial segment index value.

In a related aspect of the present invention the processor operates oneach of the plurality of received signals. For each one of the pluralityof the received sensor signals which defines a pressure reading theprocessor: a) determines a particular axial segment index value and aparticular tracking segment index value, based on that signal'sassociated axial segment, its determined one tracking segment andwhether that signal is generated from the first plurality of sensors orthe second plurality of sensors; b) selects the respective averagepressure value associated with the particular axial segment index valueand the particular tracking segment index value; c) calculates arespective corrected average pressure value by subtracting one of thefirst respective column average value or the second respective columnaverage value associated with the particular axial segment index valuefrom the selected respective average pressure value; and d) calculates arespective adjusted pressure reading value by subtracting the respectivecorrected average pressure value from the one received sensor signal.The processor also calculates an average pressure profile based on therespective adjusted pressure reading values.

In yet another related aspect of the invention, the system includes asignal generator to generate a trigger signal on each rotation of themating roll, wherein the processor identifies the rotational position ofthe mating roll relative to the reference position based on amost-recently-generated trigger signal.

In related aspects of the present invention, the system includes a thirdplurality of sensors located at axially spaced-apart locations of thesensing roll, wherein each sensor of the third plurality enters a regionof the nip between the sensing roll and the mating roll during eachrotation of the sensing roll to generate a third respective sensorsignal; and wherein each sensor of the third plurality has acorresponding sensor in at least one of the first plurality and thesecond plurality which is associated with a same respective axiallocation on the sensing roll but is spaced-apart circumferentially.Also, the processor receives the third respective sensor signal. Uponreceiving the third respective sensor signal, the processor operates to:a) determine a particular one of the sensors of the third pluralitywhich generated the third respective sensor signal, b) determinemembership of the particular one sensor based on the particular onesensor being a member of the third plurality, c) based upon a rotationalposition of the mating roll relative to the reference position,determine which one of the plurality of tracking segments associatedwith the mating roll enters the region of the nip substantiallyconcurrently with the particular one sensor of the third pluralityentering the region of the nip, and d) store the third respective sensorsignal using the determined one tracking segment and the determinedmembership.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method associatedwith a sensing roll and a mating roll for collecting roll data. Themethod includes generating a first respective sensor signal from eachsensor of a first plurality of sensors located at axially spaced-apartlocations of the sensing roll, wherein each first respective sensorsignal is generated when each sensor of the first plurality enters aregion of a nip between the sensing roll and the mating roll during eachrotation of the sensing roll; and generating a second respective sensorsignal from each sensor of a second plurality of sensors located ataxially spaced-apart locations of the sensing roll, wherein each secondrespective sensor signal is generated when each sensor of the secondplurality enters the region of the nip between the sensing roll and themating roll during each rotation of the sensing roll. Each sensor of thefirst plurality has a corresponding sensor in the second plurality whichis associated with a same respective axial location on the sensing rollbut is spaced-apart circumferentially. The method also includesreceiving a received sensor signal, the received sensor signal being oneof the first respective sensor signal or the second respective sensorsignal. Upon receiving the received sensor signal, the method continuesby determining a particular one of the sensors of the first plurality orthe second plurality which generated the received sensor signal,determining a membership of the particular one sensor based on which ofthe pluralities of sensors the particular one sensor is a member; andbased upon a rotational position of the mating roll relative to areference position, determining which one of a plurality of trackingsegments associated with the mating roll enters the region of the nipsubstantially concurrently with the particular one sensor entering theregion of the nip. The method also includes storing the received sensorsignal using the determined one tracking segment and of the determinedmembership.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing outand distinctly claiming the present invention, it is believed that thepresent invention will be better understood from the followingdescription in conjunction with the accompanying Drawing Figures, inwhich like reference numerals identify like elements.

FIG. 1 is an end, schematic view of a nip press, in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention, showing the formation of a webnipped between the nip rolls, the nip width of the nip press beingdesignated by the letters “NW.”

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a sensing roll showing the placementof a line of sensors in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention.

FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate a progression of different circumferentialsegments of a mating roll entering a nip during multiple rotations of asensing roll in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate a table outlining how different mating rollcircumferential segments are sensed by sensing roll sensors duringmultiple rotations of a sensing roll in accordance with the principlesof the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a distribution graph of an example sampling frequency ofdifferent circumferential segments of a mating roll in accordance withthe principles of the present invention.

FIGS. 6, 7, 8A and 8B depict matrices of different values that can becalculated for various axial segments and circumferential segments of amating roll in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 9 depicts a flowchart of an example method of generating areal-time average pressure profile in accordance with the principles ofthe present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic drawing showing the basic architecture of aparticular monitoring system and paper processing line in accordancewith the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an elevation view-of an alternative sensing roll having twolines of sensors in accordance with the principles of the presentinvention.

FIG. 12 is a side elevation view of a mating roll having its own line ofsensors in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of one example modification to how a datacollection session according to FIG. 9 may change when multiple sensorarrays are used in collecting nip pressure data in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments,reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof,and in which is shown by way of illustration, and not by way oflimitation, specific preferred embodiments in which the invention may bepracticed. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilizedand that changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof the present invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a sensing roll 10 and a mating roll 11 definea nip 12 receiving a fibrous web 16 to apply pressure to the web 16. Itis contemplated that, in some cases, a felt may support the web suchthat the felt and the web enter the nip 12. The sensing roll 10comprises an inner base roll 20 and an outer roll cover 22. As shown inFIG. 2, a set 24 of sensors 26 is disposed at least partially in theroll cover 22. The set 24 of sensors 26 may be disposed along a linethat spirals around the entire length of the roll 10 in a singlerevolution to define a helical pattern, which is a common sensorgeometry arrangement for roll covers. However, the helical pattern ismerely an example and any arrangement is contemplated in which at leastone sensor is placed at each axial position, anywhere along thecircumference, at which data is to be collected. Each sensor 26 can, forexample, measure the pressure that is being exerted on the sensor whenit enters a region of the nip 12 between the rolls 10 and 11. Inparticular, the set 24 of sensors 26 may be positioned in the sensingroll 14, for example, at different axial locations or segments along thesensing roll 10, wherein the axial segments are preferably equallysized. In the illustrated embodiment, there are fourteen axial segments,labelled 1-14 in FIG. 2, each having one sensor 26 located therein. Itis also contemplated that the set 24 of sensors 26 may be linearlyarranged so as to define a line of sensors, i.e., all sensors reside atthe same circumferential location. One of ordinary skill will readilyrecognize that more than fourteen, or less than fourteen, axial segmentsmay be provided as well along with a corresponding equal number ofaxially-spaced sensors located on the sensing roll. Also, in thedescription below, each sensor 26 may be referred to as a pressuresensor, for example, but other types of sensors are also contemplatedsuch as, for example, temperature sensors.

Because having even nip pressure is beneficial during papermanufacturing, correctly calculating and displaying the nip pressureprofile are also beneficial since any corrections or adjustments to bemade to the rotating rolls based on an inaccurate calculated nippressure profile could certainly exacerbate any operational problems.There are three primary measurements of variability. The nip pressureprofile has variability that can be termed cross-directional variabilityas it is the variability of average pressure per cross-directionposition across the nip. Another type of variability represents thevariability of the high speed measurements at each position in thesingle line of sensors. This variability represents the variability ofother equipment in the paper making process including the rotationalvariability of the mating roll, i.e., the roll nipped to the sensingroll. The third variability in the nip profile includes the variabilityof multiple sensors at each cross-directional position of the roll. Thisvariability represents the “rotational variability” of the sensing rollas it rotates through its plurality of sensing positions.

Typically, the sensing roll 10 and the mating roll 11 are sizeddifferently, i.e., they have a different size radially andcircumferentially. Each roll may have variations in its sizecircumferentially across the axial dimension. Further, as the rollrotates, the distance from the central axis (radial dimension) to theouter surface may vary for each axial position at the same angle ofrotation even were the circumferential dimensions to be the same foreach axial position.

For example, rolls are periodically ground which results is smallarbitrary changes in diameter from the manufacture's specification.There may also be slippage with one or more of the rolls resulting inthe sensing roll surface traveling at a speed that is different than themating roll surface. Consequently, it is rare that two rolls would haveexactly the same period of rotation or have periods that are exactharmonics.

Thus, as the sensing roll 10 and mating roll 11 travel through multiplerotations relative to one another, a particular sensor 26 may not alwaysenter the region of the nip 12 with the same circumferential portion ofthe mating roll 11 as it did in a previous rotation. This behavior canbe utilized to create data maps corresponding to the surface of themating roll 11, as described below. These data maps can include anaverage pressure matrix as described more fully below with respect toFIG. 8A. Different average pressure matrices, each collected and builtduring different periods of time can be compared with one another toinvestigate how they vary from one another. Variability between thedifferent data maps can indicate possible problems with the mating roll11, such as roll surface irregularities, bearing wear, and roll flexing.Variability analysis of the sensor data may indicate possible problemswith upstream or downstream processing equipment, e.g., upstream rollsor downstream rolls.

The sensing and mating rolls 10 and 11 may be each separated into 14axial segments. All of the axial segments on the sensing roll 10 may ormay not be of the same length, and all of the axial segments on themating roll 11 also may or may not be of the same length. In theillustrated embodiment, it is presumed that all of the axial segments onthe sensing roll 10 are of the same length and all of the axial segmentson the mating roll 11 are of the same length. The axial segments on thesensing roll 10 may be aligned with the axial segments on the matingroll 11. Furthermore, the mating roll 11 may be separated intoindividual circumferential segments such as, for example, 50circumferential segments, all of substantially the same dimension.

Referring to FIGS. 3A-3C, the sensing roll 10 can be, for example,rotating and be instantaneously positioned such that a sensor 26A,located in one of the 14 axial segments in the illustrated embodiment,is located in the region of the nip 12 simultaneously with mating rollcircumferential segment number 1 (of 1-50 segments). After a first fullrotation of the roll 10, the one sensor 26A may enter the region of thenip 12 concurrently with a different circumferential segment, forexample segment number 3, on the mating roll 11, see FIG. 3B. Becausethe rolls 10 and 11 have different periods, after a second full rotationof the roll 10, the one sensor 26A may enter the region of the nip 12simultaneously with yet a different mating roll circumferential segment,for example segment number 5, see FIG. 3C. Because the one sensor 26Aenters the region of the nip 12 concurrently with differentcircumferential segments of the mating roll 11, the nip pressuremeasured by the one sensor 26A may vary during sequential roll rotationsdue to the change in pressure caused by the mating roll 11. Aspects ofthe present invention contemplates mapping readings, or signals, fromeach sensor 26 of the set 24 over time to see how the pressure readings,or signals, vary for each sensor due to each sensor entering the regionof the nip 12 concurrently with different circumferential segments ofthe mating roll 11. As noted above, the mapped data may be used todetermine possible problems with the mating roll 11 and, as also notedabove, variability analysis may indicate possible problems related toupstream or downstream processing equipment other than the sensing roll10 and the mating roll 11.

Hence, the present invention contemplates using sensors 26 to measurefor rotational variability that is generated by the high speed rotationof the mating roll 11 when pressure signals, or readings, from thesensors 26 are time synchronized to the mating roll position. In orderto measure for rotational variability, the mating roll 11 must have someimpact on the pressure in the nip 12 to be measured. The dominant impacton the sensed nip pressure will likely be that of the mating roll 11which directly presses against the sensing roll 10. However, it may bepossible to synchronize sensor measurements with upstream rolls (notshown) which form another nip and impact the water content and thicknessof the web which affect the nip pressure seen by the sensing roll 10.Furthermore, as rolls (not shown) in a downstream nip may pull the weband cause changes in web tension, it may be possible to also synchronizesensor measurements with these rolls. The sensing and mating rolls 10and 11 will be used to illustrate the principles of this invention;however all principles are applicable to upstream and downstreamprocessing equipment, such as upstream and downstream rolls.

As one particular example, the mating roll 11 can be larger incircumference than the sensing roll 10. For example, the mating roll 11has a circumference that is divided into 50 substantially equal-lengthcircumferential segments and the sensing roll 10 has its owncircumference that is smaller than the circumference of the mating roll11. Differences in circumference and slippage both contribute to adifference in rotational period (period=the time required for a roll tomake one full rotation) between the sensing roll 10 and mating roll 11.One convenient way to characterize the difference in periodicity isusing units-of-measure that measure that difference in terms of timesegments, e.g., 50 time segments in the illustrated embodiment. Thelength of each time segment is the mating roll period divided by thenumber of predefined time segments. As discussed below, the predefinednumber of time segments may correspond to a predefined number of matingroll circumferential segments. A period of the sensing roll 10 can bedescribed as being x time segments smaller/larger than a period of themating roll 11. For example, the sensing roll 10 may have a period thatis 2.14 mating roll time segments less than the period of the matingroll 11 (equivalently, the mating roll 11 can have a period that is 2.14mating roll time segments larger than the period of the sensing roll).In such an example, as the sensing roll 10 makes one completerevolution, the mating roll 11 will make less than a complete revolutionby an amount equal to 2.14 time segments due to it having a longerperiod than the sensing roll 10.

As noted above, the 50 time segments of the mating roll period cancorrespond to 50 circumferential segments around the mating roll 11.Thus, even though, at a conceptual level, it is the period of the matingroll 11 that is being separated into a plurality of time segments, thatconcept can correspond to a physical circumference of the mating roll11, wherein each individual time segment of the mating roll period alsocorresponds to a circumferential segment around the mating roll 11.Accordingly, differences in rotational periods between the sensing roll10 and the mating roll 11 measured in units of “time segments” can justas easily be considered in units of “circumferential segments.” In thedescription of embodiments of the present invention below, reference to“circumferential segments” is provided as an aid in understandingaspects of an example embodiment of the present invention. However, oneof ordinary skill will recognize that “time segments” and mating rollperiodicity could be utilized as well without departing from the scopeof the present invention. The “circumferential segments” and “timesegments” can also be referred to generically as “tracking segments”;this latter term encompassing both types of segments associated with themating roll 11.

As noted above, in one particular example, the mating roll 11 can belarger in circumference than the sensing roll 10. For example, themating roll 11 can have a circumference that is divided into 50substantially equal-length circumferential segments and the sensing roll10 can have its own circumference that may be smaller than thecircumference of the mating roll 11. One convenient way to characterizethe difference in circumferences is using units-of-measure that measurethat difference in terms of the length of the 50 mating rollcircumferential segments. In other words, a circumference of the sensingroll 10 can be described as being x segment-lengths smaller/larger thana circumference of the mating roll 11. For example, the sensing roll 10may have a circumference that is 2.14 mating roll circumferentialsegment lengths less than the circumference of the mating roll 11(equivalently, the mating roll 11 can have a circumference that is 2.14mating roll segments larger than the circumference of the sensing roll).In such an example, as the sensing roll 10 makes one completerevolution, the mating roll 11 will make less than a complete revolutionby an amount equal to 2.14 circumferential segment lengths due to itbeing larger in circumference than the sensing roll 10 and presumingouter surface portions of the sensing roll 10 and mating roll 11 in thenip 12 both match the velocity of the web 16.

Continuing with this example, FIGS. 4A-4B illustrate how sensor data forparticular circumferential segments (or, alternatively, time segments)corresponding to a same axial location of the mating roll 11 arecollected for one particular sensor 26 of the set 24. Similar data willbe collected for each of the remaining sensors 26 of the set 24. Theleft-most column 1000 represents a number of revolutions of the sensingroller 10. If it is presumed that this particular sensor 26 starts whenit is concurrently in the region of the nip 12 with circumferentialsegment number 1 of the mating roll 11, then after 1 revolution, thesensor 26 will enter the region of the nip concurrent with segmentnumber 3 of the mating roll 11. The second column 1002 from the leftrepresents the circumferential segment number of the mating roll 11which enters the nip region concurrent with the sensor 26 for eachsuccessive revolution of the sensing roll 10. For example, after 14rotations, the segment number 30 (see element 1003 of FIG. 4A) entersthe region of the nip 12 concurrent with the sensor 26. Only the first50 revolutions are depicted in FIGS. 4A-4B; however, any number ofrevolutions, e.g., 500 revolutions, could be observed to collect evenmore data.

The two right most columns 1004, 1006 relate to collection of data for500 revolutions of the sensing roll 10. Column 1004 represents each ofthe 50 segments and column 1006 represents how many times each of thesegments were respectively sampled in the 500 revolutions. For example,circumferential segment number 28 of the mating roll 11 was sampled(i.e., in the nip region concurrently with the sensor 26) by the sensor26 eleven (see element 1005 of FIG. 4A) different times during the 500revolutions. FIG. 5 depicts a distribution chart showing how many timeseach of the 50 circumferential segments were sampled by the sensor 26during 500 revolutions. Depending on the difference in circumference (orperiodicity) between the sensing roll 10 and the mating roll 11, thenumber of times each of the 50 segments is sampled can vary.

As mentioned above, data similar to that of FIGS. 4A-4B is captured foreach sensor 26 of the set 24. Thus, as each sensor 26 arrives at theregion of the nip 12 and senses a pressure reading, a particular matingroll outer surface portion at an axial location corresponding to thatsensor and at one of the 50 circumferential segments of the mating roll11 will also be in the nip 12. Determining the mating roll segment thatis in the nip 12 can be accomplished in a variety of different ways. Oneway involves indexing a particular one of the 50 mating roll segmentswith a trigger signal that is fired each time the mating roll 11completes one revolution; a time period since the last trigger signalcan be used to determine which of the 50 segments (measured relative tothe indexed segment) is in the nip 12. For example, if the time betweeneach firing of the trigger signal is 275 ms, then each time segment is5.5 ms, which corresponds to one of the 50 mating roll circumferentialsegments. A pressure signal generated by a sensor 26 in the nip regionoccurring at 55 ms after the trigger signal would be assigned to timesegment 10 as ten 5.5 ms segments will have passed, e.g., the nipregion, from when the trigger signal is made to when the pressure signalis generated. FIG. 10 is described below in the context of a processor903 generating a real-time nip profile. In addition, the processor 903can also receive a trigger signal 901 related to the rotation of themating roll 11. As just described, some circumferential segment orposition 907 of the mating roll 11 can be indexed or encoded such that asignal generator 900 detects and generates the trigger signal 901 eachtime the signal generator 900 determines that the segment 907 of themating roll 11 completes another full rotation. When the mating roll 11is rotated such that the circumferential position or segment 907 isaligned with a detector portion of the signal generator 900, then theone of the 50 circumferential segments that happens to be positioned inthe nip region can arbitrarily be labeled as the first circumferentialsegment such that the other circumferential segments can be numberedrelative to this first segment. This particular rotational position ofthe mating roll 11 can be considered a reference position. As the matingroll 11 rotates, its rotational position will vary relative to thatreference position and the amount of this variance determines which ofthe 50 circumferential segments will be positioned in the nip region.Accordingly, based on the rotational position of the mating roll 11relative to that reference position a determination can be made as towhich of the 50 circumferential segments is in the nip region when aparticular sensor 26 generates a pressure signal.

There are other ways to determine the position of the mating roll 11.One way is to use a high precision tachometer that divides the rotationof the roll 11 into a number of divisions, perhaps 1000. In thisexample, each time segment would be 20 positions on the high precisiontachometer. All methods of determining the position of the mating rollare included in this invention.

In an example environment in which there are 14 axially arranged sensors26, each of which can be uniquely referred to using an axial segmentindex value that ranges from “1 to “14”, and there are 50circumferential segments on the mating roll 11 (or time segments), eachof which can be uniquely referred to using a tracking segment indexvalue ranging from “1” to “50”, there are 7000 (i.e., 50×14=7000) uniquepermutations of pairs consisting of a sensor number and acircumferential segment number (or time segment number), wherein eachpermutation is identifiable by a two-element set comprising a respectiveaxial segment index value and a respective tracking segment index value.In the illustrated embodiment, the sensor numbers also correspond to themating roll axial segments. Therefore the data collected can beconsidered a 50×14 matrix as depicted in FIG. 6. Each row of FIG. 6represents one of the 50 mating roll circumferential segments (or timesegments) and each column represents one of the 14 axially arrangedsensors 26 and, thus, each cell represents one of the possible 7000permutations. Each column also corresponds to a mating roll outersurface portion at an axial location corresponding to the sensor 26assigned that column. Each cell represents a combination of a sensornumber (or axial segment number) and a particular mating rollcircumferential segment (or time segment). For example, cell 100represents a value that will relate to a pressure reading that occurredwhen sensor number 14 (number 14 of the 1-14 sensors defining the set24) entered the region of the nip 12 concurrently with a mating rollouter surface portion at an axial location corresponding to sensornumber 14 and mating roll circumferential segment number 1 (or timesegment number 1). Thus, each cell of the matrix represents a uniquepermutation from among all the possible permutations of different axialsegment numbers (e.g., 1-14) and circumferential segment numbers (e.g.,1-50) (or time segments 1-50). A value stored in a particular matrixelement is thereby associated with one particular permutation ofpossible axial segments numbers and circumferential segment numbers (ortime segments).

The matrix of FIG. 6 can, for example, be a “counts” matrix wherein eachcell represents the number of times a particular sensor and a particularmating roll outer surface portion at an axial location corresponding tothat sensor and a particular mating roll circumferential segment wereconcurrently in the region of the nip 12 to acquire a pressure readingvalue. FIG. 7 illustrates a similarly sized matrix (i.e., 50×14) but thevalues within the matrix cells are different from those of FIG. 6. Thecell 200 still represents a value that is related to sensor number 14(or axial segment 14, out of 1-14 axial segments, of the mating roll 11)and circumferential segment 1 but, in this example, the value is acumulative total of pressure readings, e.g., in pounds/inch², acquiredby the sensor for that circumferential segment during a plurality ofrotations of the sensing roll 10. Thus, each time sensor number 14happens to enter the region of the nip 12 along with the circumferentialsegment number 1, the acquired pressure reading value is summed with thecontents already in the cell 200. Each of the 7000 cells in this matrixof FIG. 7 is calculated in an analogous manner for their respective,associated sensors and segments.

From the matrices of FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, an average pressure matrixdepicted in FIG. 8A can be calculated. For example, cell 100 includesthe number of pressure readings associated with sensor number 14 (oraxial segment 14 of the mating roll 11) and circumferential segmentnumber 1 while cell 200 includes the total or summation of all thosepressure readings. Thus, dividing cell 200 by cell 100 provides anaverage pressure value for that particular permutation of sensor numberand mating roll circumferential segment number which entered the regionof the nip 12 concurrently.

As a result, the matrix of FIG. 8A represents an average pressure valuethat is sensed for each particular sensor number and mating rollcircumferential segment number. The length of time such data iscollected determines how many different pressure readings are used insuch calculations.

The raw pressure readings, or signals, from the sensors 26 can beaffected by a variety of components in the system that moves the web 16.In particular, the average values in the average pressure matrix of FIG.8A are related to variability synchronized to the mating roll 11.However, there may be other variability components that are notsynchronized with the mating roll 11 such as variability in a crossdirection (CD), shown in FIG. 2. One measure of this CD variability iscaptured by calculating an average for each column of the averagepressure matrix. Thus, the average pressure matrix of FIG. 8A can alsoinclude a row 302 that represents a column average value. Each of the 14columns may have 50 cells that can be averaged together to calculate anaverage value for that column. For example, cell 304 would be theaverage value in the 50 cells of the second column of the averagepressure matrix. As more fully described below, a corrected cell valuecan be calculated by subtracting from each cell in the average pressurematrix its corresponding column average value from row 302. Thus, theaverage pressure matrix in FIG. 8A includes average pressure values ineach cell and information needed to correct those values in row 302.

Alternatively, one of ordinary skill will recognize that an entirelyseparate correction matrix (having, for example, 7000 elements or cells)could be constructed that is filled with already-corrected values fromeach of the cells of the average pressure matrix. Thus, a correctionmatrix, as illustrated in FIG. 8B, could be created that is separatefrom the average pressure matrix of FIG. 8A. Each cell (e.g., cell 310)of the correction matrix has a value that is based on the correspondingcell (e.g., 300) of the average pressure matrix. More particularly, thevalue from each average pressure matrix cell is corrected by subtractingan appropriate column average value found in row 302 to determine acorrected value to store in a corresponding cell of the correctionmatrix of FIG. 8B.

Individual collection sessions of pressure readings to fill the matricesof FIGS. 6, 7, 8A and 8B may be too short to build robust and completematrices due to data buffer and battery life limitations of dataacquisition systems in communication with the sensing roll 10. In suchcases, consecutive collection sessions can be combined by not zeroingthe matrices (i.e., counts and summation matrices) upon starting a newcollection session or combining the separate matrices collected in apost hoc fashion. Consequently, collections may be stopped and restartedwithout loss of data fidelity as long as the synchronization of themating roll is maintained. In particular, combining multiple collectionsessions that are separated by gaps in time can be beneficial to helppopulate the matrices. For example, if the period difference between thetwo rolls were closer to 2.001 instead of 2.14 time/circumferentialsegments, the collection would have a tendency to collect only evenlynumbered time/circumferential segments in the short term (i.e., evenlynumbered segments are those that are offset an even number of segmentsfrom a starting segment) until sufficient time has passed to move thecollection into the odd numbered time/circumferential segments.Combining collection sessions separated by a long time delay may help toshift the collection so that data is more uniformly captured for all thedifferent time/circumferential segments because there is no expectationthat the period of the mating roll will be related to arbitrary timegaps between collection sessions.

Accordingly, a data collection “protocol” or set, e.g., data collectionsessions occurring over a 24 hour period, can include data from one ormore data collection sessions. Each data collection session maytypically include continuous collection of data for a brief time (e.g.,two minutes, five minutes, ten minutes, etc.) that is repeatedperiodically (e.g., once every hour). A data collection set can includeall of the data collection sessions that occur in a day. When each newdata collection protocol or set begins, a counts matrix and a summationmatrix from a most-recently-completed data collection set can be resetto zero so that the data for that new data collection protocol or set isindependent of previously collected data. However, an average pressurematrix, and optionally a corresponding correction matrix, from themost-recently-completed data collection set may not be zeroed-out butmay be stored for use during each of the collection sessions that arepart of the new (i.e., next) data collection set. Once this new datacollection set is finished, then a new average pressure matrix andcorrection matrix can be calculated and used to overwrite the storedaverage pressure matrix and correction matrix. In this way,pressure-related parameters about the mating roll can be collected andcompared at different times for diagnostic purposes, for example, or topotentially adjust current operating conditions of the rolls 10 and 11.

Other matrices, not shown, can be calculated based on the sensor dataused to build the matrices of FIGS. 6, 7, 8A and 8B. For example,squaring the pressure values used to build the matrix of FIG. 7, andthen summing those squared values can be done to build a sum-squaredmatrix which can be useful in partitioning of variability intocross-directional (CD) variability, rotational variability,2-dimensional variability, and residual variability. The variabilitypartitions can be trended for operational and/or maintenance purposes.

The average pressure matrix of FIG. 8A can be generated during a set ofcollection sessions in an attempt to monitor and measure the operatingcharacteristics of how the web 16 is being compressed by the rolls 10and 11. The data from the average pressure matrix of FIG. 8A or from thecorrection matrix of FIG. 8B can then be used during a collectionsession of a subsequent set of collection sessions to correct raw orreal-time pressure readings from the sensors 26 for any rotationalimpact of the mating roll 11. Within the present disclosure the datasensed, or acquired, by a sensor (e.g., 26) can be referred to as eithera “signal” or a “reading” as in a “raw pressure reading”, a “real-timepressure reading”, a “pressure signal”, or a “sensor signal”. Correctionof each of the raw or real-time pressure readings results in arespective “adjusted pressure reading value”. These adjusted pressurereading values can be used to initiate or update a real-time averagepressure profile for the nip between the rolls 10 and 11, as will bediscussed below. At the start of each new collection session, thereal-time average pressure profile can be reset to zero. The real-timeaverage pressure profile may be used to adjust loading pressures androll crowns or roll curvature (using, for example, internal hydrauliccylinders) to achieve a flat pressure profile.

As more fully explained with respect to the flowchart of FIG. 9, a rawor real-time pressure reading (i.e., sensor signal) can be acquired fromeach sensor 26 each time it enters the nip 12. As noted above, each rawpressure reading, or sensor signal, can be adjusted using the averagepressure value information in the matrices of FIG. 8A and/or FIG. 8B tocalculate an adjusted pressure reading value. In particular, thesematrices may have been created from a previous data collection set, suchas from a day earlier. The adjusted pressure reading values may then beused by the processor 903 to initiate or update a real-time averagepressure profile.

The flowchart of FIG. 9 depicts an exemplary method of generating areal-time average pressure profile in accordance with the principles ofthe present invention. In step 902, the collection of data is begun. Thestart of data collection could occur when a sensing roll 10 and/or amating roll 11 is first brought online or could occur after amaintenance period or other work stoppage. Accordingly, in someinstances, a previously calculated and stored average pressure matrixcould be beneficial in adjusting subsequent raw pressure readings and inother instances it may be beneficial to perform data collection withoutusing any previous data about the nip 12.

Thus, in step 904, a determination is made as to whether a storedaverage pressure matrix exists and whether or not to use it in thecurrent data collection process started in step 902. If the averagepressure matrix does not exist, or if it exists and a choice is made notto use it, then in step 906 all the cells of the average pressure matrixare zeroed out so that the matrix is initialized to a known state.

Otherwise, values of a stored average pressure matrix are used asdescribed below. As previously mentioned it may be beneficial to haverecords of different average pressure matrices so that they can becompared to one another to possibly identify trends or issues relatingto maintenance or operating conditions. Thus, part of step 904 mayinclude presenting an operator with a list of available average pressurematrices that are stored so that the operator can select a particularmatrix to be used. In the illustrated embodiment, typically the averagepressure matrix from a previous collection session set, i.e., from oneday earlier, is selected.

In some instances data collection during a set of collection sessionscan be interrupted for various operational reasons. Therefore, it may bebeneficial to be able to resume a set of collection sessions withoutstarting over and losing all the data that had been collected beforethat set was interrupted. In step 908, a determination is made to useexisting counts and sum matrices (e.g., FIG. 6 and FIG. 7) of apreviously interrupted set of collection sessions. If the determinationis to not use these matrices, then the counts matrix and sum matrix areboth zeroed out in step 910. If, however, a determination is made tocontinue with a set of collection sessions, then the existing counts andsum matrices are used in subsequent steps of the data collection.

Step 912 starts a new collection session by initializing, or zeroingout, an old real-time average pressure profile. At the end of this newcollection session a new real-time average pressure profile will becalculated. The real-time average pressure profile will have a value foreach of the axial segments of the sensing roll 10 as more fullydescribed below.

In step 914, raw pressure readings, or sensor signals, are collected bythe sensors 26 of the sensing roll 10. In addition to the raw pressurereadings themselves, corresponding time segments (or circumferentialsegments) of the mating roll 11 and axial segment numbers (e.g., 1-14)are collected for each raw pressure reading. For example, a particularsensor 26 will enter a region of the nip 12 and acquire a raw pressurereading. Based on the trigger signal 901 described above, adetermination can also be made as to which of the 50 circumferentialsegments, or 50 time segments, of the mating roll 11 is also in the nip12. Thus, based on the determined circumferential segment and the sensor26, which corresponds to a particular axial segment, one of the 7000cells in each of the matrices of FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 can be identified.Once those cells are identified, the counts matrix and the sum matrixcan be updated, in step 916.

Also, one of the 7000 cells of the stored average pressure matrix (e.g.,FIG. 8A) can be identified based on the circumferential segment andsensor corresponding to the raw pressure reading sensed in step 914. Theaverage pressure value of that one corresponding matrix cell can beselected, in step 917, and corrected using its corresponding columnaverage value (e.g., from row 302 of FIG. 8A). As discussed above,correcting a cell value from the average pressure matrix can entailsubtracting the appropriate column average value from that cell value todetermine a corrected cell value (i.e., a corrected average pressurevalue). This corrected average pressure value can then be used, in step918, to adjust the raw pressure reading. In particular, the correctedaverage pressure value from the average pressure matrix can besubtracted from the raw pressure reading.

In those instances when a stored average pressure matrix is notavailable or a zeroed-out average pressure matrix is used, then the rawpressure reading remains unchanged by steps 917 and 918. Also, in thoseinstances where a separate “correction” matrix is created separate fromthe average pressure matrix, steps 917 and 918 can be combined so thatan appropriate cell value is selected directly from the “correction”matrix and used to adjust a raw pressure reading.

The value from step 918 is associated with a particular axial segment ofthe sensing roll 10 (as identified in step 914) and a correspondingaxial segment of the real-time average pressure profile. Thus, the valuefrom step 918 is stored, in step 920, in order that the real-timeaverage pressure profile can be calculated. Each time a raw pressurereading is adjusted using a corrected average pressure matrix cell valuean adjusted pressure reading value, or an adjusted raw pressure readingvalue, is calculated. That adjusted pressure reading value is summedwith all the other adjusted pressure reading values for a particularaxial segment acquired earlier during the current collection session anda count of the total number of adjusted pressure reading values used inconstructing that sum is stored as well. From this stored data and atthe end of the collection session, see step 924, an average pressurevalue can be constructed for each axial segment of the real-time averagepressure profile by dividing the summation of the adjusted pressurereading values by the count of the total number of adjusted pressurereading values.

A determination of whether the collection session is complete isdetermined in step 922. The determination in step 922 can be based onthe collection session lasting for a predetermined time period (e.g., 5minutes) or based on the collection session lasting for a predeterminednumber of rotations of the sensing roll 10 (e.g., 100 rotations).

If, in step 922, it is determined that the collection session iscomplete, then the real-time average pressure profile is calculated andoutput in step 924. If the collection session is not complete, however,then control returns to step 914 and more raw pressure readings areacquired and adjusted to continue building the data to be used tocalculate the real-time average pressure profile.

The average pressure matrix (e.g., FIG. 8A) can be built using datacollected across multiple collection sessions (i.e., a set of collectionsessions). As noted above, a set of collection sessions may be definedas occurring every 24 hours. Thus, in step 926, a determination is madeas to whether or not a current set of collection sessions is completed,e.g., has a given 24 hour period for a current collection session setended? If the set of sessions to build a new average pressure matrix isnot complete, then a determination can be made in step 928 as to whetheror not to even continue the process of acquiring pressure readingsrelated to the nip 12. For example, an operator can choose to interruptthe data collection process for a variety of operational-relatedreasons. Thus, in step 930, the process of FIG. 9 can be stopped ifdesired; otherwise, a delay is introduced, in step 932, before the nextcollection session of the current set is started in step 912. In theillustrated embodiment, each collection session occurs over a predefinedtime period, e.g., five minutes, and the delay period comprises anotherpredefined time period, e.g., 55 minutes.

If the set of collection sessions is complete, however, then in step 934the average pressure matrix for the completed set of collection sessionsis built, using the counts matrix and sum matrix that were being updatedin step 916. This new average pressure matrix is then, in step 936,stored so that its values can be used in step 918 when adjusting the rawpressure readings acquired during subsequent collection sessions of anew set for calculating different real-time average pressure profiles.Once a new average pressure matrix is built, a corresponding correctionmatrix could be built and stored as well. If such a correction matrix isbuilt and stored, then its values can be used in step 918 when adjustingraw pressure readings acquired during subsequent collection sessions ofa new set. In step 938, a delay occurs before beginning the building ofa new average pressure matrix by starting a new set of collectionsessions. For example, the delay may typically equal the delay used instep 932 (e.g., 55 minutes). After the delay of step 938, the count andsum matrices are zeroed-out in step 910 and a first collection session,of a new set of collection sessions, starts with step 912.

In the above description, in steps 917 and 918, a raw pressure readingis adjusted using a corrected value from a corresponding cell of thematrix of FIG. 8A having average pressure values for each of the 7000possible permutations. Alternatively, data smoothing could beaccomplished by averaging adjacent corrected cells of the matrix of FIG.8A before adjusting the raw pressure reading. For the purpose ofsimplifying a description of possible data smoothing approaches,reference is made below to a separate correction matrix, such as the onein FIG. 8B that has cell values that already have been corrected usingappropriate column averages of the average pressure matrix of FIG. 8A.For example, in a particular column of the correction matrix, a cellwill have adjacent rows that represent adjacent circumferentialsegments. Accordingly, five cells (for example) could be selected fromthe correction matrix—a particular cell (associated with a current rawpressure reading) and the two cells above it and the two cells below it.The five values from these five cells can, themselves, be averagedtogether to calculate an adjustment value to subtract from the rawpressure reading in step 918. Smoothing can be used when some cells inthe count matrix (FIG. 6) have low values that would tend to cause theaverage pressure matrix (FIG. 8A) to be noisy. If a cell in the countmatrix has zero counts, then the calculated average pressurecorresponding to that cell cannot be made and smoothing is necessary.

Similar data smoothing could be accomplished as well in the axialdirection. In this case, three cells, for example, could be selectedfrom the correction matrix of FIG. 8B—a particular cell associated witha current raw pressure reading, the cell to its left, and the cell toits right. The three values from these three cells could each beaveraged together to calculate an adjustment value to subtract from theraw pressure reading in step 918.

FIG. 10 illustrates the overall architecture of one particular systemfor monitoring paper production product quality. The system of FIG. 10includes the processor 903, noted above, which defines a measurement andcontrol system that evaluates and analyzes operation of the roll 11. Theprocessor 903 comprises any device which receives input data, processesthat data through computer instructions, and generates output data. Sucha processor can be a hand-held device, laptop or notebook computer,desktop computer, microcomputer, digital signal processor (DSP),mainframe, server, other programmable computer devices, or anycombination thereof. The processor 903 may also be implemented usingprogrammable logic devices such as field programmable gate arrays(FPGAs) or, alternatively, realized as application specific integratedcircuits (ASICs) or similar devices. The processor 903 may calculate anddisplay the real-time average pressure profile calculated at the end ofthe prior collection session. For example, the pressure measurementsfrom the sensors 26 can be sent to a wireless receiver 905 fromtransmitter(s) 40 located on the sensing roll 10. The signals can thenbe communicated to the processor 903. It is contemplated that theprocessor 903, in addition to calculating a real-time average pressureprofile, may use the real-time average pressure profile to automaticallyadjust crown and loading mechanisms to achieve a flat pressure profile.Crown and loading mechanisms may also be adjusted manually by anoperator using information provided by the real-time average pressureprofile.

As noted above, one benefit of embedding a single set of sensors incovered rolls is to measure the real-time pressure profile and adjustloading pressures and roll crowns or roll curvature (using, for example,internal hydraulic cylinders) to achieve a flat pressure profile. As analternative to a single set 24 of sensors 26 as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 11depicts two pluralities or arrays 24A, 28 of sensors 126A, 30 on asensing roll 102. In the illustrated embodiment, the sensing roll 102 isseparated into 14 axial segments. First and second pluralities 24A and28 of sensors 126A and 30, respectfully, are disposed at least partiallyin the roll cover 22. Each of the first plurality 24A of sensors 126A islocated in one of the 14 axial segments of the sensing roll 102.Likewise, each of the second plurality 28 of sensors 30 is located inone of the 14 axial segments of the sensing roll 102. Each sensor 126Aof the first plurality 24A has a corresponding sensor 30 from the secondplurality 28 located in a same axial segment of the sensing roll 102.The first plurality 24A of sensors 126A are disposed along a line thatspirals around the entire length of the roll 102 in a single revolutionto define a helical pattern. In a similar manner, the second plurality28 of sensors 30 are disposed along a line that spirals around theentire length of the roll 102 in a single revolution to define a helicalpattern. The first and second pluralities 24A and 28 of sensors 126A and30 are separated from one another by 180 degrees. Each sensor 126A and30 measures the pressure that is being exerted on the sensor when itenters the region of the nip 12 between the rolls 102 and 11. It iscontemplated that the first and second pluralities 24A and 28 of sensors126A and 30 may be linearly arranged so as to define first and secondlines of sensors, which are spaced approximately 180 degrees apart.Various alternative configurations of a plurality of sensors are alsocontemplated. For example, a plurality of sensors could be helicallyarranged in a line that spirals, in two revolutions, around the entirelength of roll 102.

Assuming the above example of 14 axial segments and 50 circumferentialsegments, each plurality 24A, 28 of sensors 126A, 30 may have their owncorresponding 7000 cell matrices of stored values. Thus, the plurality24A of sensors 126A may have matrices for a number of times a particularsensor 126A and a mating roll circumferential segment were in the regionof the nip 12 (e.g., a counts matrix), summations of pressure readings(e.g., a sum matrix), average pressure values (e.g., an average pressurematrix) and corrected average pressure values (a correction matrix). Theplurality 28 of sensors 30 likewise may have its own matrices for anumber of times a particular sensor 30 and a mating roll circumferentialsegment were in the region of the nip 12 (e.g., a counts matrix),summations of pressure readings (e.g., a sum matrix), average pressurevalues (e.g., an average pressure matrix) and corrected average pressurevalues (e.g., a correction matrix). In each of the respective cells avalue is stored that is associated with a particular sensor 126A, 30,and a particular axial segment and circumferential segment of the matingroll. Accordingly, matrices similar to FIGS. 6, 7, 8A and 8B would bestored for each of the different sensor pluralities, or sensor arrays,24A, 28. However, because the data was collected by sensors separated by180°, the differences between values in the two sets of matrices mayreveal information about rotational variability of the sensing roll 10.

Thus, for the first plurality 24A of sensors, there are 14 axiallyarranged sensors 126A, each of which can be uniquely referred to usingan axial segment index value that ranges from “1” to “14”, and there are50 tracking segments associated with the mating roll 11, each of whichcan be uniquely referred to using a tracking segment index value rangingfrom “1” to “50”, which together create 7000 (i.e., 50×14=7000) uniquepermutations of pairs consisting of a sensor number and acircumferential segment number (or time segment number), wherein eachpermutation is identifiable by a first two-element set comprising arespective axial segment index value and a respective tracking segmentindex value. Thus, a raw pressure reading from a sensor 126A can beassociated with an axial segment index value and a tracking segmentindex value which, together, uniquely identify 1 of 7000 cells in eachof the matrices shown in FIGS. 6, 7, 8A and 8B that are associated withthe first plurality 24A of sensors. Based on the particular permutationof an axial segment index value and tracking segment index value, datacan be added to, or extracted from, an appropriate cell of one thosematrices associated with the first plurality 24A of sensors.

In addition to those 7000 permutations, for the second plurality 28 ofsensors 30, there are also 14 axially arranged sensors 30, each of whichcan be uniquely referred to using an axial segment index value thatranges from “1” to “14”, and there are still the 50 tracking segmentsassociated with the mating roll 11, each of which can be uniquelyreferred to using the tracking segment index values, which create 7000(i.e., 50×14=7000) unique permutations of pairs consisting of a sensornumber and a circumferential segment number (or time segment number),wherein each permutation is identifiable by a second two-element setcomprising a respective axial segment index value and a respectivetracking segment index value. Thus, a raw pressure reading from a sensor30 can be associated with an axial segment index value and a trackingsegment index value which, together, uniquely identify 1 of 7000 cellsin each of the matrices shown in FIGS. 6, 7, 8A and 8B that areassociated with the second plurality 28 of sensors. Based on theparticular permutation of an axial segment index value and trackingsegment index value, data can be added to, or extracted from, anappropriate cell of one those matrices associated with the secondplurality 28A of sensors.

Similar, in concept, to having two sensor pluralities 24A, 28 on thesensing roll 102 is having one sensor array 24 on the sensing roll 10(referred to as a first sensing roll in this embodiment) as shown inFIG. 2 but also having a mating roll 11A (See FIG. 12) with an array 25of sensors 27 so as to define a second sensing roll, wherein the matingroll 11A replaces the mating roll 11 in FIG. 2. Thus, in addition to thesensors 26, there would also be the array 25 of sensors 27 that enterthe region of the nip 12 during each rotation of the second sensing roll11A. As in the case of two sensor arrays 24A, 28, a respective countsmatrix, sum matrix, average pressure matrix and correction matrix couldbe built for the first sensing roll 10 and the second sensing roll 11A.One difference from the above description, however, is that a separatesignal generator 900A and a separate trigger signal 901A (shown inphantom in FIG. 10) may also be associated with the first sensing roll10 so that its period can be broken into different time segments (orcircumferential segments) that are associated with pressure readingswhen one of the sensors 27 from mating or second sensing roll 11A entersthe region of the nip 12.

Thus, for sensor array 24 on the first sensing roll 10, there are 14axially arranged sensors 26, each of which can be uniquely referred tousing a first axial segment index value that ranges from “1” to “14”,and there are 50 tracking segments associated with the mating or secondsensing roll 11A, each of which can be uniquely referred to using afirst tracking segment index value ranging from “1” to “50”, whichtogether create 7000 (i.e., 50×14=7000) unique permutations of pairsconsisting of a sensor number and a circumferential segment number (ortime segment number), wherein each permutation is identifiable by afirst two-element set comprising a respective first axial segment indexvalue and a respective first tracking segment index value. Thus, a rawpressure reading from a sensor 26 can be associated with a first axialsegment index value and a first tracking segment index value which,together, uniquely identify 1 of 7000 cells in each of the matricesshown in FIGS. 6, 7, 8A and 8B that are associated with the sensor array24. Based on the particular permutation of the first axial segment indexvalue and first tracking segment index value, data can be added to, orextracted from, an appropriate cell of one those matrices associatedwith the sensor array 24.

In addition to those 7000 permutations, for sensor array 25 there arealso 14 axially arranged sensors 27, each of which can be uniquelyreferred to using a second axial segment index value that ranges from“1” to “14”, and there are 50 tracking segments associated with thesensing roll 10, each of which can be uniquely referred to using asecond tracking segment index value ranging from “1” to “50”, whichcreate 7000 (i.e., 50×14=7000) unique permutations of pairs consistingof a sensor number and a circumferential segment number (or time segmentnumber), wherein each permutation is identifiable by a secondtwo-element set comprising a respective second axial segment index valueand a respective second tracking segment index value. Thus, a rawpressure reading from a sensor 27 can be associated with a second axialsegment index value and a second tracking segment index value which,together, uniquely identify 1 of 7000 cells in each of the matricesshown in FIGS. 6, 7, 8A and 8B that are associated with the sensor array25. Based on the particular permutation of the second axial segmentindex value and second tracking segment index value, data can be addedto, or extracted from, an appropriate cell of one those matricesassociated with the sensor array 25.

The process of FIG. 9 is substantially the same even when there aremultiple arrays or pluralities of sensors and multiple sets of matricessuch as, for example, if there are two sensing rolls 10, 11A or thereare two arrays, or sets, (24A, 28) of sensors on a single sensor roll102. Similar to step 914, the raw pressure reading from a sensorentering the nip 12 is still being acquired. However, the appropriatecounts and sum matrices that will be updated also take into accountwhich plurality (e.g., 24A, 28) or array (e.g., 24, 25) the sensor is apart of. Similarly, when adjusting the raw pressure reading, an averagepressure value is selected from the appropriate average pressure matrixthat corresponds to that sensor plurality 24A, 28 or array 24 25, seestep 917. As for the real-time average pressure profile data that isstored, the adjusted pressure readings can be averaged into itsappropriate axial segment value of the profile regardless of the sensorplurality 24A, 28 or array 24 25 used in acquiring that reading. Also,in an embodiment having multiple sensor pluralities or arrays, steps 934and 936 are completed for each sensor plurality or array; in otherwords, a respective average pressure matrix is built and stored for eachplurality (e.g., 24A, 28) or array (e.g., 24 25) of sensors.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of one example modification to show a datacollection session according to FIG. 9 may change when multiple sensorpluralities or arrays are used in collecting nip pressure data inaccordance with the principles of the present invention. As describedwith relation to FIG. 9, a new collection session begins in step 912with zeroing out an old real-time average pressure profile.

In step 914A, a raw pressure reading is collected when a sensor from anyof the pluralities (24A, 28) or arrays (e.g., 24, 25) enters a region ofthe nip 12. Accordingly, a determination is made of which sensorplurality or array that sensor belongs to, a time (or circumferential)segment (i.e., a tracking segment) associated with the raw pressurereading, and an axial position associated with the raw pressure reading.Which sensor plurality or array a particular sensor belongs to can bereferred to as the “membership” of that sensor; or, in other words,which array or plurality that sensor is a “member” of.

When the sensing roll 102 includes two (or more) pluralities or arraysof sensors, then the time (or circumferential) segment number of themating roll 11 is determined based on the time that has elapsed sincethe last trigger signal from the mating roll 11 (as described above).However, when the mating roll 11A is itself a sensing roll, then thetime (or circumferential) segment number associated with any rawpressure readings collected by sensors 27 of the mating or secondsensing roll 11A are determined based on the time that has elapsed sincethe last trigger signal from the first sensing roll 10. Thus, when thereare two sensing rolls 10, 11A, their respective roles vacillate betweenbeing a “sensing” roll and a “mating” roll. When a raw pressure readingis acquired by a sensor 27 of the second sensing roll 11A, then thatroll 11A is acting as a sensing roll and the first sensing roll 10 isactually considered as a “mating” roll whose surface is being mapped.Similarly, when a raw pressure reading is acquired by a sensor 26 of thefirst sensing roll 10, then that roll 11 is acting as the sensing rolland the other sensing roll 11A is actually considered as a “mating” rollwhose surface is being mapped. So, even if a roll is explicitly labelleda sensing roll in the above description, such as rolls 10 and 11A, thatparticular roll can sometimes be acting as a “sensing” roll and at othertimes be acting as a “mating” roll.

In step 916A, for each raw pressure reading generated by a sensor 126A,30 26, 27, the counts matrix and sum matrix associated with the sensorplurality (24A, 28) or array (24, 25) of which that sensor is a memberis determined and an appropriate cell in each of those matrices isdetermined based on the time (or circumferential) segment number and theaxial position associated with the sensor that generated the rawpressure reading. These cells in the appropriate counts and sum matricescan then be updated.

In step 917A, the stored average pressure matrix corresponding to thesensor plurality or array of the sensor (i.e., the membership of thesensor) that collected the raw pressure reading is determined and anappropriate cell is selected based on the time (or circumferential)segment number and the axial position determined in step 914A. Asdescribed above, an average pressure matrix can include a row of columnaverages which can be used to correct each cell value of the averagepressure matrix when it is selected in this step.

In step 918A, this corrected average pressure value can be subtractedfrom the raw pressure reading to calculate an adjusted pressure readingvalue. Based on the axial position of the raw pressure reading, theadjusted pressure reading value can be stored, in step 920A, with theother adjusted pressure reading values for that axial position collectedduring the current collection session in order to calculate a real-timeaverage pressure profile at the appropriate time. Hence, when multiplesensor pluralities or arrays are used, adjusted pressure reading valuesfrom the multiple sensor pluralities or arrays at each axial positionare summed together to determine an average pressure value for eachaxial position when determining the real-time average pressure profile.

For the embodiment comprising first and second pluralities 24A and 28 ofsensors 126A and 30 on a sensing roll 102, each time a raw pressurereading from one of a pair of sensors 126A and 30, positioned at a sameaxial segment of the sensing roll 30 and circumferentially spaced apart,is adjusted using a corrected average pressure matrix cell value, thatadjusted pressure reading value is summed with all the other adjustedpressure reading values for that particular axial segment acquiredearlier by that sensor pair (126A, 30) and during the current collectionsession and a count of the total number of adjusted pressure readingvalues from that sensor pair used in constructing that sum is stored aswell. From this stored data and at the end of the collection session, anaverage pressure value can be constructed for each axial segment of areal-time average pressure profile for the nip region of the sensingroll 102 and mating roll 11 by dividing the summation of the adjustedraw pressure reading values by the count of the total number of adjustedpressure reading values.

For the embodiment comprising a first array 24 of sensors 26 on thefirst sensing roll 10 and a second array 25 of sensors 27 on the matingor second sensing roll 11A, each time a raw pressure reading from one ofthe sensors 26 on the first sensing roll 10 is adjusted using acorrected average pressure matrix cell value, that adjusted raw pressurereading value is summed with all the other adjusted raw pressure readingvalues for that particular axial segment on the first sensing roll 10acquired earlier by that sensor 26 as well as with all the otheradjusted raw pressure reading values for a corresponding or same axialsegment on the mating roll 11A acquired earlier by a sensor 27 on themating roll 11A at the corresponding axial segment on the mating roll11A during the current collection session and a count of the totalnumber of adjusted raw pressure reading values from that sensor 26 andits corresponding sensor 27 at the same axial segment on the mating roll11A used in constructing that sum is stored as well. Likewise, each timea raw pressure reading from one of the sensors 27 on the second sensingroll 11A is adjusted using a corrected average pressure matrix cellvalue, that adjusted raw pressure reading value is summed with all theother adjusted raw pressure reading values for that particular axialsegment on the second sensing roll 11A acquired earlier by that sensor27 as well as with all the other adjusted raw pressure reading valuesfor a corresponding or same axial segment on the first sensing roll 10acquired earlier by a sensor 26 on the first sensing roll 10 at thecorresponding axial segment on the sensing roll 10 during the currentcollection session. From this stored data and at the end of thecollection session, an average pressure value can be constructed foreach axial segment of a real-time average pressure profile for the nipregion of the first and second sensing rolls 10 and 11A by dividing thesummation of the adjusted raw pressure reading values by the count ofthe total number of adjusted pressure reading values. As an alternative,a separate real-time pressure profile can be calculated for each of thesensor arrays 24, 25. Calculating separate real-time pressure profilesmay allow calibration of the sensors which comprise the arrays 24, 25.Sensor calibration can be checked and adjusted by comparing, for eachaxial segment of the pressure profile, the pressures of two sensors, onefrom each array 24, 25, that are in the nip at the same time. The sensorvalues can be adjusted, or calibrated, so that each sensor provides thesame reading. Once the arrays 24, 25 of sensors are calibrated, then theseparate real-time pressure profiles can be combined into a singlereal-time pressure profile.

The process can then continue with step 922 (see FIG. 9) to determine ifa collection session is completed or not. When all collection sessionsfor a set of collection sessions are completed, then a new averagepressure matrix can be built using the counts and sums matrices. In anembodiment with multiple sensor pluralities or arrays, a respective newaverage pressure matrix is built corresponding to each sensorpluralities or array and can be used in subsequent collection sessions(e.g., the next day). That is, a separate new average pressure matrix isbuilt for each sensor plurality or sensor array.

The above description of the flowchart of FIG. 13 assumed that thesensing roll 10 and the sensing roll 11A each had been logically dividedinto the same number of axial segments (e.g., 14) defined by the numberof sensors on the opposite sensing roll. The above description alsoassumed that both sensing rolls 10, 11A had also been segmented into thesame number (e.g., 50) of tracking segments. Accordingly, the matricesassociated with each of the sensing rolls were all of the same size(e.g., 7,000 cells). One of ordinary skill will recognize that each ofthe sensing rolls could have respective numbers of axial segments andtracking segments that are different from one another. The steps of theflowcharts of FIG. 9 and FIG. 13 would remain substantially the same butthe corresponding matrices associated with each sensing roll would bedifferent sizes.

In the case where the two rolls have the same number of axial segments(e.g., 14) but different numbers of tracking segments, the sensing rollthat has more tracking segments will contribute, for each axial segment,more data samples to the real-time pressure profile calculated in 924;but the steps of the flowchart remain the same.

In the case where the two sensing rolls have different numbers of axialsegments, then the collection of data and the building of variousmatrices for each sensing roll remains the same but the method ofcalculating the real-time pressure profile using that data may bemodified. For example, if all the sensors on both rolls wereevenly-spaced and the sensing roll 10 had twice as many sensors as thesensing roll 11A, then one axial section of the nip will be associatedwith two sensor readings from the sensor roll 10 and only one sensorreading from the sensor roll 11A. Various techniques can be used tocombine these three values in a manner that provides a beneficialreal-time pressure profile value for that axial section of the nip. As ageneral principle, each separate axial section of the nip will beassociated with one or more sensors on one sensing roll and one or moresensors on the other sensing roll. Creation of the real-time averagepressure nip profile is performed by determining which sensors areassociated with which axial segment of the nip and combining the valuesfrom those sensors in a statistically appropriate manner.

As mentioned above, there are ways for synchronizing sensor measurementsother than using the signal generator 900 (or 900A) to generaterespective trigger signals 900. In general, a trigger signal isassociated with the mating roll 11 being in a known reference positionsuch that the time that has elapsed since the most-recent trigger signalallows the processor 903 to identify a present rotational position ofthe mating roll relative to that reference position. Alternativetechniques that allow the processor 903 to calculate a rotationalposition of the mating roll 11 relative to a reference position can alsobe utilized. For example, a pulse generator could generate 1000 pulsesper each rotation of the mating roll 11 and a counter could count thepulses such that after the count reaches 1000 the counter is reset tostart-over counting from “1”. By considering the position of the matingroll 11 to be at the “reference position” when the counter starts over,a current pulse count value when a sensor signal is acquired can beprovided to the process 903 and used to determine a rotational positionof the mating roll 11 relative to the reference position.

When more than one sensing roll is used, there are other alternatives tothe signal generators 900 and 900A providing respective trigger signals901, 901A to the processor 903 in order to determine time segments orcircumferential segments. In particular, the timing of sensor data fromeach of the sensing rolls 10, 11A could also be used for a similarpurpose. For example, acquiring raw pressure readings from the sensors27 of the sensing roll 11A can be synchronized with respect to therotation of the sensing roll 10. One of the fourteen sensors 26 of thesensing roll 10 can be selected to indicate a full rotation of thesensing roll 10 such that each time that one sensor 26 enters the regionof the nip 12 the sensing roll 10 is considered to have made a rotationand a periodically occurring first time reference is established. Ratherthan measuring time since an externally applied trigger signal, timesince the most recently occurring first time reference can be used. Eachtime that one sensor 26 enters the region of the nip 12, measurement ofa time period can be re-started such that the elapsed time in thecurrent time period is indicative of which of the tracking segmentsassociated with the sensing roll 10 is presently in the region of thenip 12. Thus, when a sensor 27 from the sensing roll 11A enters theregion of the nip 12 and acquires a raw pressure reading, the elapsedtime period since that one sensor 26 of the sensing roll 10 last enteredthe nip 12 can be used to identify an appropriate time segment orcircumferential segment of the sensing roll 10 to associate with thatraw pressure reading. In accordance with this alternative, the pressuremeasurements communicated by the wireless transmitters 40, 40A to theprocessor 903 can also include timing information to allow the processor903 to perform the appropriate time-based calculations.

A similar approach can also be used to also measure the raw pressurereadings acquired from sensors 26 synchronously with respect to rotationof the sensing roll 11A. In this approach, one of the fourteen sensors27 of the sensing roll 11A can be selected to indicate a full rotationof the sensing roll 11A such that each time that one sensor 27 entersthe region of the nip 12 the sensing roll 11A is considered to have madea rotation and a periodically occurring second time reference isestablished. Rather than measuring time since an externally appliedtrigger signal, time since the most recently occurring second timereference can be used to synchronize sensor measurements by sensors 26with respect to the rotational period of the sensing roll 11A.

Also, three or more sensor arrays may be arranged on a single sensingroll or two or more sensor arrays can be arranged on a pair of sensingrolls that form a nip. Thus, one of ordinary skill will appreciate thatacquiring data from two sensor arrays, as discussed herein, is providedmerely by way of example and that data from more than two arrays ofsensors may also be acquired without departing from the scope of thepresent invention. Each sensor array will have its own associatedmatrices as shown in FIGS. 6-8A; however, the steps of the flowcharts ofFIG. 9 and FIG. 13 will remain substantially the same for each sensorarray regardless of the number, and configuration, of the multiplesensor arrays.

The various example arrangements of rolls described above includedarrangements of two rolls; however, it is possible to arrange three ormore rolls in such a way as to move webs of material. For example, onesensing roll could be located between two mating rolls such that thesensing roll forms two separate nips, one with each mating roll. In suchan arrangement, a sensor of the sensing roll will rotate through twonips during each rotation of the sensing roll and respective pressurereadings can be acquired from each nip. Thus, the matrices of FIGS. 6-8Band a real-time average pressure profile can be calculated for each nipin accordance with the principles described above. Even though only onesensing roll is actually present, the collection and analysis of data isfunctionally equivalent to two sensing rolls and two mating rollsforming separate nips such that the method described in the flowchart ofFIG. 9 would be implemented separately for each mating roll.

Similarly, three sensing rolls could also be arranged such that acentral sensing roll forms separate nips with two outside sensing rolls.The matrices of FIGS. 6-8B and a real-time average pressure profile canbe calculated for each nip in accordance with the principles describedabove. Even though only three sensing rolls are actually present, thecollection and analysis of data is functionally equivalent to twodifferent pairs of sensing rolls forming separate nips such that themethod described in the flowcharts of FIG. 9 and FIG. 13 would beimplemented separately for each hypothetical pair of sensing rolls.

One of ordinary skill will readily recognize that there a many differentways to arrange a plurality of sensors or sensor arrays on a sensingroll. One example of such an arrangement is provided in U.S. Pat. No.8,475,347 where arrays of sensors are “interleaved”. In other words,each sensor of a first array of sensors is associated with a respectiveaxial segment of a sensing roll while each sensor of a second array ofsensors is associated with a respective axial segment of the sensingroll. In particular, however, each the respective axial locationsassociated with a sensor of the first array of sensors is locatedin-between a pair of respective axial segments associated with a pair ofsensors of the second array, to create an “interleaving” of the sensorsof the two different sensor arrays. In accordance with the principles ofthe present invention, the example methods described with respect toFIG. 9 and FIG. 13 can be utilized with such an arrangement ofinterleaved sensors. If for example, a first sensor array had x sensorsand an interleaved second sensor array had y sensors, then variousreal-time nip pressure profiles could be constructed in accordance withthe principles of the present invention. Two separate nip profiles, forexample, could be generated with one nip profile having x axial segmentscorresponding to sensor readings from the first sensor array and asecond nip profile having y axial segments corresponding to they sensorsof the second sensor array. A composite nip profile that has (x+y) axialsegments could then be constructed by combining the two separate nipprofiles and graphically presented to an operator.

Alternatively, the two arrays of sensors could be treated, in accordancewith the principles of the present invention, as a single array having(x+y) sensors and, therefore, (x+y) corresponding axial segments.Accordingly, a single nip profile could then be constructed, andgraphically presented to an operator, that has (x+y) axial segments.

While particular embodiments of the present invention have beenillustrated and described, it would be obvious to those skilled in theart that various other changes and modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is thereforeintended to cover in the appended claims all such changes andmodifications that are within the scope of this invention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A system comprising a sensing roll and amating roll, the system further comprising: a first plurality of sensorslocated at axially spaced-apart locations of the sensing roll, whereineach sensor of the first plurality enters a region of a nip between thesensing roll and the mating roll during each rotation of the sensingroll to generate a first respective sensor signal; a second plurality ofsensors located at axially spaced-apart locations of the sensing roll,wherein each sensor of the second plurality enters the region of the nipduring each rotation of the sensing roll to generate a second respectivesensor signal, wherein each sensor of the first plurality has acorresponding sensor in the second plurality which is associated with asame respective axial location on the sensing roll but is spaced-apartcircumferentially; and a processor to receive a received sensor signal,the received sensor signal comprising one of the first respective sensorsignal and the second respective sensor signal, and, upon receiving thereceived sensor signal, the processor operates to: determine aparticular one of the sensors of the first plurality or second pluralitywhich generated the received sensor signal, determine membership of theparticular one sensor based on which plurality of sensors the particularone sensor is a member, based upon a rotational position of the matingroll relative to a reference position, determine which one of aplurality of tracking segments associated with the mating roll entersthe region of the nip substantially concurrently with the particular onesensor entering the region of the nip, and store the received sensorsignal to associate the received sensor signal with the determined onetracking segment and the determined membership.
 2. The system of claim1, wherein the processor receives: the first respective sensor signalfor each of the sensors of the first plurality during each rotation ofthe sensing roll, the second respective sensor signal for each of thesensors of the second plurality during each rotation of the sensingroll, and a plurality of sensor signals comprising a plurality of thefirst respective sensor signals and a plurality of second respectivesensor signals occurring during a plurality of rotations of the sensingroll.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein, for each one of the pluralityof sensor signals, the processor identifies: its determined one trackingsegment, an associated mating roll axial segment, and a specific sensorof the first or second pluralities of sensors which generated saidparticular one of the plurality of sensor signals, wherein the processorfurther determines membership of the specific sensor based on which ofthe plurality of sensors the specific sensor is a member.
 4. The systemof claim 3, wherein: the mating roll comprises n axial segments, havingrespective index values: 1, 2, . . . , n; the mating roll periodcomprises m tracking segments, having respective index values: 1, 2, . .. , m, wherein, for each of the first plurality of sensors, there are (ntimes m) unique permutations, respectively, that are identifiable by afirst two-element set comprising a respective axial segment index valueand a respective tracking segment index value and, for each of thesecond plurality of sensors, there are (n times m) unique permutations,respectively, that are identifiable by a second two-element setcomprising a respective axial segment index value and a respectivetracking segment index value; and a respective average pressure value isassociated with each of the (n times m) unique permutations of each ofthe first and second sets, wherein each of the respective averagepressure values is based on previously collected pressure readingsrelated to the nip.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein: a firstrespective column average value is associated with each first set axialsegment index value, each first respective column average valuecomprising an average of the m respective average pressure values, fromthe first set, associated with that first set axial segment index value;and a second respective column average value is associated with eachsecond set axial segment index value, each second respective columnaverage value comprising an average of the m respective average pressurevalues, from the second set, associated with that second set axialsegment index value.
 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processoroperates to: for each one of the plurality of the received sensorsignals which defines a pressure reading: determine a particular axialsegment index value and a particular tracking segment index value, basedon that signal's associated axial segment, its determined one trackingsegment and whether that signal is generated from the first plurality ofsensors or the second plurality of sensors; select the respectiveaverage pressure value associated with the particular axial segmentindex value and the particular tracking segment index value; calculate arespective corrected average pressure value by subtracting: one of thefirst respective column average value or the second respective columnaverage value associated with the particular axial segment index valuefrom the selected respective average pressure value; and calculate arespective adjusted pressure reading value by subtracting the respectivecorrected average pressure value from the one received sensor signal. 7.The system of claim 6, wherein the processor operates to: calculate anaverage pressure profile based on the respective adjusted pressurereading values.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor adjustsoperating conditions of the rolls using the respective adjusted pressurereading values by adjusting roll loading mechanisms to achieve a desiredpressure profile.
 9. The system of claim 3, wherein: the mating rollcomprises n axial segments, having respective index values: 1, 2, . . ., n; the mating roll has associated therewith m tracking segments,having respective index values: 1, 2, . . . , m, and wherein, for eachof the first plurality of sensors and the second plurality of sensors,there are (n times m) unique permutations that are identifiable by atwo-element set comprising a respective axial segment index value and arespective tracking segment index value.
 10. The system of claim 9,wherein: for the plurality of first respective sensor signals and foreach of a first plurality of the possible (n times m) permutations, theprocessor determines an average of all the plurality of first respectivesensor signals associated with an axial segment and tracking segmentmatching each of the first plurality of permutations; and for theplurality of second respective sensor signals and for each of a secondplurality of the possible (n times m) permutations, the processordetermines an average of all the plurality of second respective sensorsignals associated with an axial segment and tracking segment matchingeach of the second plurality of permutations.
 11. The system of claim 9,wherein: for the plurality of first respective sensor signals and eachof a first plurality of the possible (n times m) permutations, theprocessor determines: a number of times one or more of the plurality offirst respective sensor signals is associated with an axial segment andtracking segment matching that permutation; and a summation of all ofthe plurality of first respective sensor signals associated with theaxial segment and tracking segment matching that permutation; and forthe plurality of second respective sensor signals and each of a secondplurality of the possible (n times m) permutations, the processordetermines: a number of times one or more of the plurality of secondrespective sensor signals is associated with an axial segment andtracking segment matching that permutation; and a summation of all ofthe plurality of second respective sensor signals associated with theaxial segment and tracking segment matching that permutation.
 12. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the processor adjusts operating conditions ofthe rolls based on the stored received sensor signals from the first andsecond pluralities of sensors.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein theprocessor adjusts the operating conditions of the rolls by adjustingroll loading mechanisms.
 14. The system of claim 1, wherein each of theplurality of tracking segments are of substantially equal size.
 15. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the received sensor signal comprises apressure value.
 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality oftracking segments associated with the mating roll comprise one of: aplurality of circumferential segments on the mating roll, and aplurality of time segments of a period of the mating roll.
 17. Thesystem of claim 1, further comprising: a signal generator to generate atrigger signal on each rotation of the mating roll, wherein theprocessor identifies the rotational position of the mating roll relativeto the reference position based on a most-recently-generated triggersignal.
 18. The system of claim 1, comprising: a third plurality ofsensors located at axially spaced-apart locations of the sensing roll,wherein each sensor of the third plurality enters a region of the nipbetween the sensing roll and the mating roll during each rotation of thesensing roll to generate a third respective sensor signal; wherein eachsensor of the third plurality has a corresponding sensor in at least oneof the first plurality and the second plurality which is associated witha same respective axial location on the sensing roll but is spaced-apartcircumferentially; and the processor to receive the third respectivesensor signal, and, upon receiving the third respective sensor signal,the processor operates to: determine a particular one of the sensors ofthe third plurality which generated the third respective sensor signal,determine membership of the particular one sensor based on theparticular one sensor being a member of the third plurality, based upona rotational position of the mating roll relative to the referenceposition, determine which one of the plurality of tracking segmentsassociated with the mating roll enters the region of the nipsubstantially concurrently with the particular one sensor of the thirdplurality entering the region of the nip, and store the third respectivesensor signal to associate the third respective sensor signal with thedetermined one tracking segment and the determined membership.
 19. Amethod associated with a sensing roll and a mating roll comprising:providing the sensing roll and the mating roll; generating a firstrespective sensor signal from each sensor of a first plurality ofsensors located at axially spaced-apart locations of the sensing roll,wherein each first respective sensor signal is generated when eachsensor of the first plurality enters a region of a nip between thesensing roll and the mating roll during each rotation of the sensingroll; generating a second respective sensor signal from each sensor of asecond plurality of sensors located at axially spaced-apart locations ofthe sensing roll, wherein each second respective sensor signal isgenerated when each sensor of the second plurality enters the region ofthe nip between the sensing roll and the mating roll during eachrotation of the sensing roll; wherein each sensor of the first pluralityhas a corresponding sensor in the second plurality which is associatedwith a same respective axial location on the sensing roll but isspaced-apart circumferentially; and receiving a received sensor signal,the received sensor signal comprising one of the first respective sensorsignal and the second respective sensor signal, and, upon receiving thereceived sensor signal: determining a particular one of the sensors ofthe first plurality or the second plurality which generated the receivedsensor signal, determining a membership of the particular one sensorbased on which of the pluralities of sensors the particular one sensoris a member; based upon a rotational position of the mating rollrelative to a reference position, determining which one of a pluralityof tracking segments associated with the mating roll enters the regionof the nip substantially concurrently with the particular one sensorentering the region of the nip, and storing the received sensor signalto associate the received sensor signal with the determined one trackingsegment and of the determined membership.
 20. The method of claim 19,comprising: receiving the first respective sensor signal for each of thesensors of the first plurality during each rotation of the sensing roll;receiving the second respective sensor signal for each of the sensors ofthe second plurality during each rotation of the sensing roll, andreceiving a plurality of sensor signals comprising a plurality of firstrespective sensor signals and a plurality of second respective sensorsignals occurring during a plurality of rotations of the sensing roll.21. The method of claim 20, comprising: identifying, for each one of theplurality of the respective sensor signals: its determined one trackingsegment, an associated axial segment, and a specific sensor of the firstor second pluralities of sensors which generated said particular one ofthe plurality of sensor signals, wherein determining membership of thespecific sensor is based on which of the plurality of sensors thespecific sensor is a member.
 22. The method of claim 21 wherein: themating roll comprises n axial segments, having respective index values:1, 2, . . ., n; the mating roll period comprises m tracking segments,having respective index values: 1, 2, . . ., m, wherein, for each of thefirst plurality of sensors, there are (n times m) unique permutations,respectively, that are identifiable by a first two-element setcomprising a respective axial segment index value and a respectivetracking segment index value and, for each of the second plurality ofsensors, there are (n times m) unique permutations, respectively, thatare identifiable by a second two-element set comprising a respectiveaxial segment index value and a respective tracking segment index value;and a respective average pressure value is associated with each of the(n times m) unique permutations of each of the first and second sets,each of the respective average pressure values based on previouslycollected pressure readings related to the nip.
 23. The method of claim22, wherein: a first respective column average value is associated witheach first set axial segment index value, each first respective columnaverage value comprising an average of the m respective average pressurevalues, from the first set, associated with that first set axial segmentindex value; and a second respective column average value is associatedwith each second set axial segment index value, each second respectivecolumn average value comprising an average of the m respective averagepressure values, from the second set, associated with that second setaxial segment index value.
 24. The method of claim 23, comprising: foreach one of the plurality of the received sensor signals which defines apressure reading: determining a particular axial segment index value anda particular tracking segment index value, based on that signal'sassociated axial segment, its determined one tracking segment andwhether that signal is generated from the first plurality of sensors orthe second plurality of sensors; selecting the respective averagepressure value associated with the particular axial segment index valueand the particular tracking segment index value; calculating arespective corrected average pressure value by subtracting: one of thefirst respective column average value or the second respective columnaverage value associated with the particular axial segment index valuefrom the selected respective average pressure value; and calculating arespective adjusted pressure reading value by subtracting the respectivecorrected average pressure value from the one received sensor signal.25. The method of claim 24, comprising: calculating an average pressureprofile based on the respective adjusted pressure reading values. 26.The method of claim 21, wherein: the mating roll comprises n axialsegments, having respective index values: 1, 2, . . . , n; the matingroll period comprises m tracking segments, having respective indexvalues: 1, 2, . . ., m; and wherein, for each of the first plurality ofsensors and the second plurality of sensors, there are (n times m)unique permutations that are identifiable by a two-element setcomprising a respective axial segment index value and a respectivetracking segment index value.
 27. The method of claim 26, comprising:calculating, for the plurality of first respective sensor signals andfor each of a first plurality of the possible (n times m) permutations,an average of all the plurality of respective sensor signals with anassociated axial segment and determined tracking segment matching thatpermutation; and calculating, for the plurality of second respectivesensor signals and for each of a second plurality of the possible (ntimes m) permutations, an average of all the plurality of respectivesensor signals with an associated axial segment and determined trackingsegment matching that permutation.
 28. The method of claim 26,comprising: for the plurality of first respective sensor signals andeach of a first plurality of the possible (n times m) permutations,calculating: a number of times one or more of the plurality of firstrespective sensor signals have an associated axial segment anddetermined tracking segment matching that permutation; and a summationof all of the plurality of first respective sensor signals having anassociated axial segment and determined tracking segment matching thatpermutation, and for the plurality of second respective sensor signalsand each of a second plurality of the possible (n times m) permutations,calculating: a number of times one or more of the plurality of secondrespective sensor signals have an associated axial segment anddetermined tracking segment matching that permutation; and a summationof all of the plurality of second respective sensor signals having anassociated axial segment and determined tracking segment matching thatpermutation.
 29. The method of claim 19, further comprising adjustingoperating conditions of the rolls based on the stored received sensorsignals from the first and second pluralities of sensors.
 30. The methodof claim 29, wherein adjusting the operating conditions of the rollsbased on the stored received sensor signals comprises adjusting rollloading pressures.
 31. The method of claim 19, wherein each of theplurality of tracking segments are of substantially equal size.
 32. Themethod of claim 19, wherein the received sensor signal comprises apressure value.
 33. The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality oftracking segments associated with the mating roll comprise one of: aplurality of circumferential segments on the mating roll, and aplurality of time segments of a period of the mating roll.
 34. Themethod of claim 19, comprising: generating a trigger signal on eachrotation of the mating roll, wherein identifying the rotational positionof the mating roll relative to the reference position is based on amost-recently-generated trigger signal.